All posts by Hearts & Homes for Youth

Church of the Nativity Youth Group partners with Hearts & Homes for Youth

In the community

IMG_1874Painted Palette and Church of the Nativity Youth Group partnered with Hearts & Homes for Youth to paint beautiful and inspiring canvasses for the youth in Hearts & Homes’ programs!

The children spent time speaking with Hearts & Homes’ Director of Community Relations about the type of challenges faced by youth in the agency’s care. The kids were very engaged and were eager to help.

After painting a solid background on a canvas, each child painted a picture  that they thought would make the kids at Hearts & Homes for Youth feel comforted and cared about.

Helen Smith girls cheer on the Nationals

Activities for the youth, Thank you to our supporters,

image (8)Recently, residents from our Helen Smith Group Home for Girls attended a baseball game at Nationals Park in Washington, DC, courtesy of tickets provided to Hearts & Homes for Youth by Most Valuable Kids. The girls were very excited to attend and thoroughly enjoyed the game.

Most Valuable Kids (MVK) is an organization that provides children’s organizations access to professional and collegiate sports and entertainment events through an online ticket donation and reward system. MVK overcomes the financial obstacles associated with live events by distributing unused tickets to children that would enjoy the opportunity to go to an event, but would otherwise not be able to because of the high costs associated with tickets. MVK values the positive source of inspiration provided by live sports and entertainment provide for children in a world where there are many negative alternatives.

image (1)For two of the girls in the Helen Smith Group Home program, it was their first time attending a baseball game. For another, it was her first time in Washington, DC.

All of us at Hearts & Homes for Youth are grateful to MVK and all our supporters who make outings like this possible! Often, the youth in our care are first timers with the experiences! Unique opportunities and experiences are a critical part of the healing process as youth heal, grow, and being building brighter futures.

Prince George’s County DJS hosts flag football tournament for youth

Activities for the youth, Volunteering, ,

IMG_4022Earlier this summer the Prince George’s County Department of Juvenile Services (DJS) invited Hearts & Homes’ youth to attend the 3rd Annual Flag Football Game they hosted at a school in Upper Marlboro, MD. DJS provided food, beverages, enlightening speakers, and a fun day for the youth!

Young men from our Harriet Tubman Shelter and young women from our John C Tracey Group Home participated in the event and had a great time!

Hearts & Homes for Youth looks forward to collaborating with Prince George’s County Department of Juvenile Services and is grateful for putting on this wonderful event for young people!

Imagine Project comes to Hearts & Homes for Youth

Activities for the youth, ,

LOGO-blue-220This summer Hearts & Homes for Youth is teaming up with Imagine Project Inc. to provide a summer workshop for all of the youth in Hearts & Homes for Youth programs. Over the next two months, Imagine Project team is hosting a twice-weekly acting, creativity and improvisation program for the youth. The program will allow them the opportunity to experiment and express themselves freely.

“We are so grateful to Imagine Project for choosing to work with the youth in our care,” said Hearts & Homes CEO and President Chloe Perez. “This is a spectacular program that will have an immeasurable impact on the kids in our care. Encouraging the youth to express themselves supports their mental, social, and emotional growth by building their self-confidence, fostering creative thinking, and encouraging them to use their voice.”

“Imagine Project Inc. is elated to be bringing our program to Hearts & Homes for Youth,” said Imagine Project Director Bill Bartlett. “In conjunction with our 25th anniversary of nurturing the artistry and creative talents of under-served youth throughout the northeast, we are proud to announce our collaboration with Hearts & Homes for Youth in presenting an 8-week creativity workshop for the young people in their care. We hope to establish a permanent ongoing program to continue supporting youth in Maryland.”

The 8-week program is sponsored by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. The Annie E. Casey Foundation is a private philanthropy based in Baltimore devoted to developing a brighter future for millions of children at risk of poor educational, economic, social, and health outcomes. Their work focuses on strengthening families, building stronger communities and ensuring access to opportunity. They advance research and solutions to overcome the barriers to success, help communities demonstrate what works and influence decision makers to invest in strategies based on solid evidence.

Imagine Project is a New York City-based creative arts not-for-profit organization that nurtures children from all backgrounds to express themselves through improvisation and song. None of the kids in Imagine Project programs are trained actors or singers. Director Bill Bartlett, who founded the group twenty years ago, taps into their natural talent and comedic ability guiding them toward an original production at seasons end. For more information about Imagine Project, go to www.imagineproject.org

Jumpstart gets spruced up by BB&T

Thank you to our supporters, Volunteering

IMG_0220BB&T Bethesda employees volunteered for a day at Hearts & Homes for Youth’s Jumpstart Group Home. The volunteers repainted the front and back porches, and added mulch, removed weeds and planted a beautiful row of flowers in the yard.

“BB&T is extremely proud to support Hearts & Homes for Youth again this year through our annual Lighthouse Project,” said Thomas Ransom, BB&T Market President and Hearts & Homes Board Chair. “The organization’s mission of empowering our young population by providing them with a homelike environment, supportive services, and social, recreational, health and fitness, arts and learning activities should be applauded. Their mission to foster respect, independence and personal growth for each individual is vital to the community. We’re proud to team up with them and help in any way we can.”

Chloe Perez, Hearts & Homes for Youth CEO and President said the improvements were greatly appreciated.

“This is a big project  that requires a lot of supplies and time,” she said. “It is invaluable to have a group of volunteers help us spruce up the residence, so we that we can continue to be a warm and homelike environment for the youth in our care.”

Valerie Snogren, the agency’s Chief of Staff, agreed. “It’s a big help for us. The house looks refreshed and the porch is beautiful,” she said.

Caitlin Ward, the agency’s Director of Community Relations said she appreciated the new look. “I think the result of their efforts is incredible and will have an impact on the kids because they will understand that the volunteers were here to support them and make their home beautiful.”

BB&T Market President Thomas Ransom has led BB&T Lighthouse efforts with Hearts & Homes for Youth for a number of years. For example, last year, BB&T hosted a Summer Bash and Barbecue for youth from all of the Hearts & Homes for Youth programs at a park in Montgomery County. In addition to great lunch and games, BB&T provided the youth with sports equipment and school supplies.  In previous years, BB&T Lighthouse Project has also come to our Harriet Tubman Emergency Shelter and Helen Smith Group Home for Girls to paint the homes, spruce up the yard, and donate household items.

“BB&T is always glad to support great organizations like Hearts & Homes for Youth” he said. “It feels good to be out in the community making a difference.”

Securing summer jobs!

Words from our youth
739D74EEB8We are ecstatic for one of our boys at Jumpstart Group Home who secured a job at an auto body shop!
 
He said, “I’m excited because it reminds me of how much I loved working at my stepdad’s auto shop. I’m so excited to be doing this work again. I love cars so much. It’s not just working on cars, it’s a new experience with auto-body collision repair. It’s not just fixing the engine, its fixing the structure and the body of the car. I feel amazing. I feel more motivated. I went from having a cold sleeve, thinking I didn’t have anything going for me, to having a hot sleeve. It’s a big lead. My mom is going to be so proud.”
This determined young person is currently a Junior in high school maintaining a 3.5 GPA with the goal of getting a scholarship to Lincoln Technical Institute.
We are also so proud of the girls at our Helen Smith Group Home who have secured summer jobs! Three of the girls will be working at restaurants this summer, and one will be working as a lifeguard at a community swimming pool! We are so excited for and proud of our girls!
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Working is a great way to develop self-confidence, a greater sense of responsibility, and learn more about their career interests! Vocational support is one of many supportive services that we provide to the youth in our care to help them build brighter futures. Additional services provided by our devoted staff of child welfare professionals includes individualized case management, therapy, academic support, mental health support, advocacy, and life skills training in a homelike environment.

Give Crystal a Boost!

Get to know our programs

Crystal, pictured at her graduation with her son and foster mother

We are asking for your help to support one of our young mothers in foster care who has recently graduated!

Crystal has been with her foster parent through Hearts & Homes for Youth for just over a year. During that time, she gave birth to her son, graduated from high school, and developed a great relationship with her foster parent. She applied and has been accepted to a 10-month leadership development program that will begin in Fall! Crystal is a wonderful, caring, attentive, dependable, and responsible mother. Let’s show her our support!

Our goal is to raise $2000 for Crystal. She has day care set up for her son in Fall, but needs help paying for day care this Summer. She also needs help paying driving school fees and to buy some needed baby supplies.

To donate, click here & put “Crystal” in the comment box, thank you!

Crystal, pictured with her son and her Social Workers

BB&T Hunt Valley paints an impact at Hearts & Homes for Youth!

Thank you to our supporters, Volunteering, , , ,

group 2Volunteers from BB&T Hunt Valley Branch teamed up with Hearts and Homes for Youth earlier this month to paint housing units for young mothers (age 14-20) in the Damamli Mother-Baby Independent Living program. Associates from BB&T Maryland Commercial Real Estate and Appraisal divisions volunteered on June 3rd to help prep new housing units for move in.

BB&T will be joining Hearts & Homes for Youth again on June 24th to throw an end of school year picnic for the youth in the Therapeutic Foster Care program to kick off the summer and celebrate the accomplishments of the school year for those in the program. The picnic will include food, crafts and games all sponsored and administered by the volunteers from BB&T.

“We are grateful to BB&T for repainting our young mother units,” said Hearts & Homes CEO and President Chloe Perez. “We were elated when they reached out to us! BB&T embraced the idea of doing something special for the young mothers and foster youth in our care. The results so far have been incredible and we can’t wait for the picnic later this month!”

Hearts and Homes for Youth and BB&T invite other members of the community to join them as they work to provide unique opportunities and experiences for the youth in the organization’s care, to help them build brighter futures. To volunteer or for more information, contact Jessica McKinnie, at jmckinnie@heartsandhomes.org.

“We wanted to work with Hearts and Homes for Youth because of the great work they do for foster youth and young mothers in Baltimore,” said Candace Zang, Commercial Credit Underwriter. “We’re proud to team up with them and help in any way we can.”

The BB&T volunteers are taking part in the company’s eighth annual Lighthouse Project. The teams have each selected a project to assist a nonprofit agency to complete between April and June to make a positive impact on the lives of people in need. BB&T hopes their efforts encourage others in the community to volunteer their time and support organizations such as Hearts and Homes for Youth.

Since the inception of the BB&T Lighthouse Project in 2009, BB&T associates have completed more than 7,700 community service projects, donated more than 385,000 hours in volunteer service and touched the lives of more than 11 million people. Associates overwhelmingly voted to bring back the initiative this year. For more information about the Lighthouse Project, go to www.bbt.com/bbt/lighthouseproject/.

Get to know Katie & her daughter

Get to know our programs,

Q5FJUK9OFHOver the past 20 years, Hearts & Homes for Youth has served a number of young mothers in our Damali Young Mother Program. We’d like to tell you about one of the young mothers in our care.

Katie came into our care a year ago when she was 17 years old and was about to graduate from high school. She came to Hearts & Homes for Youth from another foster care agency, specifically to join Damamli.

She entered in Phase 2 of the program and was provided with an apartment to share with her daughter. There she received individualized case management and we helped her develop her independent living skills, parenting skills, and money management skills. Our main role was to provide her and her daughter with a safe and supportive home while she studied for her Associate’s Degree at Community College of Baltimore County and worked part -time at an assisted living center.

In less than a year, Katie moved into Phase 3 of our program, which gives her more responsibility and independence as she builds solid footing for her family’s future.

Katie is one of a number of heart warming success stories about youth who excel with a strong support system and a safe home.

 

Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteering, , , ,

Are you looking for opportunities to volunteer and get involved in the community this summer? Is your church, group or organization looking to plan something for the coming months or the next school year? If you said yes to either question, we want to hear from you!

There are a number of ways you can volunteer with Hearts & Homes and we’d love to help you find the opportunity that appeals to you and capitalizes on your strengths! Write to us at hhyinfo@heartsandhomes.org to set up a meeting in person or over the phone and we will discuss how we can collaborate!

We are also building our vocational training program! We encourage the youth in our care to apply for work experiences to develop career readiness skills that will help them build their resumes, learn specific occupational skills, build connections with employers who support their growth, and to learn more about their career interests. Work experiences for young people help them acquire jobs at higher wages after they graduate and are a critical part of the healing process. If your workplace offers job or internship opportunities, or if you would like to provide vocational training such as a resume workshop or mock interviews, please contact us at hhyinfo@heartsandhomes.org!